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Steven sat on his bed with his legs hanging over the edge, he would swing them if he had enough energy. Or if they didn’t already touch the ground.
No matter how many times he gently rubbed his eyes, they stayed a little blurry.
Guess that’s what happens when you cry for a whole hour.
He didn’t mean to cry for so long, but he just...
He felt betrayed by Sadie and Lars. Especially Lars! Going off to space! Without telling him.
It’s been weeks already, but he can’t shake the feeling of frustration.
Weren’t they friends? Steven thought they were. After Lars di- turned pink in space, he was sure they had gotten closer!
Without Steven, Lars would have never met the off-colors and became a cool pink space pirate!
But without Steven... Lars wouldn’t have been killed in space.
‘But he’s fine, living the best life he could, totally not dead in space. He’s alive! Traveling in space with his friends! Without you...’ He thought to himself.
When has Steven depended on his friends like they were the only things keeping him alive?
He used to be able to fix problems. Now all he does is cause them.
Things really have changed, haven’t they?
If things like Lars leaving is what gets him to snap, what would happen if something with his family changes?
His father? The crystal gems? Con-
“STEVEN LEARN TO ANSWER YOUR OWN PHONE!”
Steven jumped up in surprise as Connie sprinted up the stairs, panting as if she just ran from her house all the way to his.
Did she?
“Connie?? How did you get here-“
“Doesn’t matter!” She gasps before lying down on his bed.
“Where is your phone and why haven’t you answered me?” She pushed hair out of her face and glared at him, a very sweaty glare.
He checks his jean pockets, nothing. Then he checks his pink pockets from his jacket. Nothing. Where could his phone be?
Maybe he lost it during his fight with cactus Steven the other day...
“I don’t-“
“Okay whatever! Guess I’ll just tell you in person since I’m already here.” She sat up and straitened her posture as she twirled a strand of her hair on her finger.
Steven sat down next to her, ready to give her his full attention.
“So you know how I’ve been studying a whole lot with SATs and such? My mother has been wanting me to apply to this one college that’s a big deal and she’s been saving a bunch of money in a savings account ever since I was young so I’ll be financially stable when- she always said when- but IF I was accepted than I wouldn’t be in to much debt and-“
She glanced at her phone before dropping it on the bed. Quickly standing up in front of him.
“Okay you know what? You do not need the whole story. Okay so.” She pauses and stares at her hands, then did a deep inhale and exhale before combing the sentence to sound like one word.
“Iwasexceptedintothefouryearcollegeprogram.”
Steven blinked, a shy smile forming on his face as he slightly tilts his head, “pardon?”
“I’m going to college.”
His smile dropped, before he could stop himself.
“That’s...” he quickly smiles, a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“That’s amazing! I knew you could do it! What college is it?”
She looked pained, and sat down next to him, a little closer than before.
“It’s on the other side of the United States- in California to be exact.”
Stevens smile was definitely gone at this point.
“All the way in... when are you leaving?”
She doesn’t meet his eyes, just stares at her shoes.
“In a week.” Her voice got quieter.
“What..? Doesn’t school start later in the year?“
“Steven, I’m moving.”
“WHAT?” Steven jumped up before he could stop himself, he watched Connie stand up in front of him.
“I was gonna text you sooner! But I felt like I needed to talk to you in person but I was always so busy and you never answer your phone when I would plan to meet up and-“
“So you tell me now!? Connie you’re leaving to the other side of- and you- UGH!” He glared at the ground, feeling embarrassment fill him from his sudden outburst.
He could feel his face getting hotter, and see a faint glow from his cheeks.
Wait, that wasn’t just heat from being embarrassed...
He hid his face in his hands, but Connie had already seen his vibrant pink face.
She probably wasn’t expecting him to react so negatively, he already messed up. She’s gonna leave him and he’ll only have a week in order to fix things before she leaves.
Before she leaves him.
“Steven? Are you okay?”
He uncovered his face when he could no longer see a faint glow reflecting on his hands and awkwardly smiled.
“Yep! Totally fine! Not like my best friend didn’t tell me she was leaving or anything!”
He mentally slapped himself.
Did he really just say that out loud?
Connie looked surprise for a second, before it twisted into a face of concern.
Here we go.
“Oh steven...” she walked over to him, but he stepped back.
He wanted to curl into a little ball and let the ground consume him.
“Sorry...” he mumbles.
“Steven, you don’t have to apologize... I-“
The room filled with a soft tune, a phone was ringing.
Both flinched at the sound, Connie quickly grabbed her phone from the bed and placed it to her ear.
“Connie mah- oh. Stevens. Mhmm. Yes ma’am. Mhmm. May I have five more minutes? Thanks mom. I love you.” She placed her phone back on the bed before facing Steven again.
He instinctively looked away.
She sat on the bed and tapped on the space next to her. Steven slowly made his way over, sitting with some distance to her.
“You okay?”
He didn’t trust himself to speak, so he didn’t.
Connie sighed before shaking her head.
“I have to go Steven, I’ll talk to you later.”
She got up and walked down the stairs.
He heard the front door close.
Something in him snapped.
He ran down the stairs and threw open the front door. Literally. He hesitated for a moment seeing the damage to his home.
‘I’ll fix it later’, he thought.
“Wait Connie!”
She kept on walking.
He jumped onto the sand and ran towards her.
“Connie!”
She glanced back at him.
“Steven I have no time! I have to be home in 3 minutes! We can talk later!”
“CONNIE STOP!”
He doesn’t remember crashing into her, but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was pink.
“Wh- Steven get off!” Came Connies muffled reply.
He was also laying on top of Connie.
“Connie! I’m sorry I don’t-“
He reached down a hand to help her, but a bright pink hand seemed to follow his.
Oh no.
Oh nononono.
This is bad.
His skin was pink again, he was pink again.
He pulled his hand back before Connie could reach her hand out. Then backed up against a pink wall preventing him from leaving.
He looks up to see Connie and himself in a pink bubble. His bubble.
Connie stood gaping at him.
“Steven?”
Connie has never seen him become pink. She doesn’t even know he could do that. He hasn’t had time to tell her.
That’s what he tells himself anyways.